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Luzerne County is using $925,777 of its federal coronavirus funding to modify the prison gymnasium so the space can be used to quarantine inmates, records show.
				To date, two inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 at the county prison on Water Street in Wilkes-Barre, county Correctional Services Division Head Mark Rockovich said Monday.
				In both cases, the inmates had been under observation and not yet released into the general population, he said.
				Following protocol implemented early in the pandemic, new inmates are segregated and undergo medical observation for 14 days before they move to areas housing inmates who have been incarcerated beyond that time period.
				Carving out space for this purpose has been a challenge at times, Rockovich said.
				In March, at the start of the pandemic, the average daily population was 668 at the prison and nearby Reichard Street minimum offenders building, also in Wilkes-Barre.
				By June, the average daily population was down to 385 due to a court initiative to release non-violent offenders with low-level charges, including those eligible for parole or awaiting trial for minor crimes on bails that could be reevaluated.
				As of Sunday, the county&rsquo;s total inmate count was 525: 396 at the prison and 129 at the minimum offenders building, Rockovich said.
				The renovation project now underway will add heating and air conditioning, showers and restrooms at the prison gym in case the space is needed for inmate housing in a coronavirus outbreak or other mass medical situation down the road, officials said.
				In addition to serving as quarantine space for new arrivals, the gym could house a makeshift medical unit, providing onsite treatment instead of requiring inmates to be transported to the hospital with as many as three correctional officers necessary round-the-clock, Rockovich has said.
				Located on the ground floor, the gym is large enough to allow 30 cots with social distancing and barriers between them, Rockovich has estimated.
				The project will be covered by the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which means the work must be completed by Dec. 30.
				Following public bidding, three companies received contracts to complete the work, according to a review of November contracts approved by the administration.
				Dalton-based D&M Construction Unlimited Inc. will handle general construction for $239,500.
				Scranton Electric Heating & Cooling Inc., of Throop, will complete the HVAC and plumbing work for $569,277.
				Apollo Group Inc., of Kingston, will provide electrical work for $117,000. The company&rsquo;s contract was originally $108,000, but the administration approved a $9,000 change order to upgrade the room&rsquo;s light fixtures to LED ones that will improve lighting and lead to energy savings, the revised contract said. The opportunity arose because portions of the ceiling were removed for the construction project, it said.
				Modifications were needed to house inmates because water drips down the gym walls in summer heat due to the extreme temperatures, while the room is freezing in the winter, Rockovich said.
				Depending on the dynamics of future cases, it may make sense to house some general population inmates on cots in the gym and place incoming inmates who test positive into individual cells to reduce spread, he said.
				The project will add two showers, two commodes and a urinal, he said, noting the work is about a week ahead of schedule.
				Work can proceed because there are no inmates in that area, he said. Inmates have been exercising outside.
				As coronavirus cases rise in the county and statewide, prison officials must wrestle with the impact spikes may have on the prison workforce. In October, 13 prison employees had tested positive for coronavirus, forcing them to quarantine along with 26 other employees who were in close prolonged contact with them.
				Due to the tight completion deadline required for CARES Act funding, the county administration did not proceed with another proposed prison project adding space above the sally port dock for an expanded physical and mental health treatment and observation area. These health services are currently limited to a small area, and the new space would have helped with social distancing and segregation, officials said.
				The county received $30.8 million in coronavirus funding. In July, the administration announced plans to keep $8.6 million for specific projects and coronavirus expenses in multiple departments and to earmark $22 million to small businesses, municipalities, police departments, nonprofits and other outside entities impacted by the pandemic.

Luzerne County prison gym will soon be equipped to house quarantined inmates as needed